Rotary steam-engine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. SPBICE. ROTARY STEAM ENGINE.

No. 600,561. Patented Mar. 15,1898. I

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Witnesses. Inventor.

Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SPEICE, OF PAULDING, OHIO.

ROTARY STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 600,561, dated March15, 1898.

Application filed March 1 8, 1 8 9 7.

T0 rtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SPEICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Paulding, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Rotary Steam-Engines,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rotary engines, and particularlyto rotary steamengines.

The objects of my invention are, first, to distribute the power evenlyaround over the rotary cylinder; second, to provide improved means ofreversing a rotary engine; third, to provide a' rotary steam-enginesimple in construction and efficient in use.

Further objects will definitely appear in the detailed description tofollow.

I accomplish these objects of my invention by the mechanism and meansdescribed in the following specification, definitely pointed out in theclaims, and illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical sectional elevation of my improved engine, takenon a line corresponding to lines 1 1 of Figs. 2 and 3. Fig. 2 is atransverse detail sectional elevation taken on line? 2 of Fig. 1,showing the steam-supply connections and the exterior of thecontrolling-valves. Fig. 3 is a transverse detail sectional elevationtaken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, showing the structure of the rotary piston,the cylinder, and the exhaust connections. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailsectional elevation taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing the structureof one of the reversing or controlling v'alves. Fig. 5 is a detailelevation of a portion of a cylinder head or plate B, showing theinletports f. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the lever andconnecting mechanism which controls the reversingvalves. Fig. 7 is adetailed view of the portion of the front face of the rotary piston,showing packing around the pockets E.

In the drawings all of the sectional views are taken looking in thedirection of the little arrows at the ends of the section-lines.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughouttheseveral views.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, Ais the base,whichsupports the remaining parts of my improved engine, which I preferablymake hollowand of cast metal. On this are suitable brackets A, towardeach Serial No. 628,235. (No model.)

end, which carry the power-shaft D in suitable boxes at the top. On thisshaft are situated the usual pulley and balance-wheel, though in myimproved engine the balancewheel is not an absolute necessity. Thecylinder B, through the center of which the shaft D passes, is securedby suitable bolts to the base A. An exhaust-passage F extends around theperiphery of the same and is connected to a large exhaust-pipe F,which Ipreferably connect at the bottom and pass out through the base.Exhaust-ports a extend transversely in the cylinder and connect with theexhaust-passage F. The said passages a correspond in number to the Wingsof the rotary piston. The rotary piston D is secured t0 the shaft D, andits periphery fits the interior of the cylinder B and is revolubletherein. This rotary piston is formed with wings E E, extending radiallyfrom near the center thereof outwardly, one side of the piston beingsolid, thus forming a series of pockets around the exterior of thepiston. The periphery of the piston is continuous, with the exception ofthe exhaust-passages a between each of the wings E, which correspond tothe passages a in the cylinder itself. The spaces between the wings E Eare left open 011 one side, and against this side of the piston fits thecylinder-head B. Through this cylinderhead extends a pair of ports f,sloping in opposite directions at intervals corresponding to theintervals between the spaces formed by the partitions E E. Over eachpair of ports f is a valve-casing O. This contains a hinged valve 0,supported on a pivot O, situated between the ports f. A supply-pipe Hleads to the valve-casing. By shifting the valve 0 from side to side thedirection of the current is changed from one port f to the other and theimpulse of the fluid admitted therethrough reversed. These valves areeach provided with a little lever I, which are connected togethercontinuously around the piston by links J, so that all can be operatedtogether. They are operated by a little handle I, formed by an extensionof the levers I. A suitable springcatch K is provided with a pin bthereon to engage in a notch b on one of the levers Ito retain the samein position, though this springcatch is not an absolute necessity. Asupplypipe G for the engine delivers at one end thereof, where it isprovided with a hollow disk G, to which is connected a separate rotatesit allows the exhaust-ports a a to conpipe H for each of thevalve-casings C, as clearly appears in Figs. 1 and 2. Any suitablethrottle-valve can be provided in the supply-pipe G, which I have deemedunnecessary to illustrate here, as it is no part of my invention.

When steam is admitted to my improved engine it passes through thesupply-pipe G, on through the smaller supply-pipes H, into thevalve-casing C, where the hinged valve C deflects the same and allows itto deliver itself through one of the sloping ports fin each of thevalve-casings. The steam passing at this point strikes against eachparti tion E, giving the same an impulse, whichl causes the engine torotate. As the piston nect and permits the steam to exhaustthrough thepassage F down and out through the exj hau'st-pipes f. As the pistonstill continues f to rotate, the emptied chambers come opposite the nextport 1 and receive another impulse. Thus the wheel receives as manyimpulses as there are Wings E.

I of course provide suitable steam-packing in my engine where needed, asthe strips of packing m on the periphery of the piston D, the strips ofpacking n on the face of the piston, and packing at other points whichexperience and continued use mayindicate necessary.

Suitable stuffin-g-boxes e are provided for the stems O of the valves 0,though any other suitable packing may be provided.

I desire to state that the number of partitions E can begreatly variedin my improved i engine and that the number of valves on the 2 face ofthe cylinder can also be varied and; that a single valve will cause theengine to operate, though with very much less power than a largernumber. Where it is not de- 1 sired to have a reversible engine, thehinged 5 valve 0 could be dispensed with and the current be deliveredinto the engine always in" the same direction.

From this statement it will be clear that my engine is capable ofconsiderable variation in its details without departing from my linvention.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desireto-secure by Letters j Patent, is-

1. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination of a base A, with suitablebrackets A, thereon with journal-boxes atthe top; a shaft D, thereonwith suitablepulley and balance- Wheel thereon; a steam-cylinder B,supported on said base with its center in line with the shaft, having anexhaust -passage F, 1 around the same with exhaust-ports a, opening intothe same at intervals; a rotary piston D, secured to said shaft D,within said cylinder having radially-situated wings E, extended to nearthe periphery, one side of which is "solid and the other open and havingexhaust-ports a, leading fromthe chambers between the wings to theperiphery; a head or plate B, to said cylinder B, containing pairs ofoppositely-pointing ports f, for each wing E, of the piston;avalve-casing C, over each pair of ports with a valve 0, therein securedto pivot-stem C, between the ports;

a supply-pipe H, opening into the central part of each valve-casing froma main supply-pipe G; a lever connected to each valvestem 0; linksconnecting said levers I, together; a handle I, on one of said levers toactuate them all to shift the valves; and a spring-catch K, for one ofsaid levers all coacting together substantially as described for thepurpose specified.

2. In a rotary steam-engine, the combination of a base A, with suitablebrackets A, thereon with journal-boxes at the top; a shaft D, thereonwith suitable pulley and balancewheel thereon; a steam-cylinder B,supported on said base withits center in line with the shaft, having anexhaust-passage F, around the same with exhaust-ports a, opening intothe same at intervals; .a rotary piston D, secured to said shaft D,within said cylinder having radially-situated wings E, extended to nearthe periphery, one side of which is solid and the other open and havingexhaustports a, leading from the chambers between the wings to theperiphery; a head or plate B, to said cylinder B, containing pairs ofoppositely-pointing ports f, for each wing E, of the piston; avalve-casing C, over each pair of ports with a valve O,therein securedto pivotstem C,between the ports; a supply-pipe I-I, opening into thecentral part of each valvecasing from a main supply-pipe G; connectionsbetween the valves to reverse all to-.

gether coac'ting together substantially as described for the purposespecified.

3. In a rotary engine the combination of a suitable base with bracketshaving suitable journal-bearings therein; a shaft supported in saidbearings; a steam-cylinder supported on said base with its center inline with the shaft having an exhaust-passage extending entirely aroundthe same connected to an exhaust-pipe and ports leading from thecylinder to the exhaust-passage; a rotary piston within said cylinderand seen red to said shaft having radial wings extending to near the'per'i'phery'with ports leading from the chambers between the wings tothe periphery; a head on said cylinder with radially-situated pairs ofports pointing in opposite directions corresponding to each wing of thepiston; a supply-pipe to each pair of ports and a valve to direct thesteam through either port to make th'e engine reversible coacting asspecified. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal inthe presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

T. B. REESE, OLIVER MoRRoW.

